Infrastructure package a key issue at recent FCM meeting says Joanne Ross-Zuj

by Mike Robinson

ELORA

Infrastructure is just one of the key issues the Federation of Canadian Municipalities is dealing with says Centre Wellington Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj.

Prior to the Sept. 10 committee of the whole meeting, Ross-Zuj was at a three-day meeting with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Earlier this year, Ross-Zuj was re-elected to the board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

She is one of only 17 members representing the Ontario caucus and has been an FCM committee member since 2005 and on the board since 2010.

Ross-Zuj said there were very long and lengthy meetings regarding infrastructure plans.

“We’re hoping to take it to the federal government within the next year.”

She said “the purpose of why we were meeting and why it is so important is that we wanted to ensure there was recognition of the infrastructure deficiencies that we have across the country.”

“I didn’t realize in the last Canada bill there was no protection for small urban or small rural municipalities. The pot (for funding) was just generally out there.”

“We wanted to ensure that small urban and rural municipalities are protected and that we receive adequate attention to our needs as well as those of the big cities.”

Ross-Zuj said there was a lot of good discussion with representatives from across the country on how things worked the last time, “and what it is we would be looking for this time around.”

She said the intent was also to ensure municipalities would continue to receive funds they’d been successful at receiving - such as the gas tax - which is permanent now.

Ross-Zuj said the FCM would also like to see an index implemented which could be used towards infrastructure projects.

“We also had discussions on the new challenges coming forward such as the waste water regulations being sent out by the government. The regulations come out, but we don’t have a financial package to implement them. Once again that is a huge dollar figure which is going to affect all Canadian municipalities.”

“We came up with what we believed was an excellent package for the entire country.”

“It is so exciting when you see the entire representation from coast to coast to coast come together.”

As of Sept. 10, the document was still confidential as there was legal ‘tweaking’ yet to do, Ross-Zuj said.

Once the dollar figures are released to municipalities “then we’re going into our lobbying mode in November when we go up to Parliament Hill and the House of Commons to let all the MPs know what it is, why we need it, and the justification for it.”

It was three very tense days. It’s not getting better.

Ross-Zuj says there have been some good starts

“But the dollar figure keeps getting bigger and bigger in terms of what is needed to address our infrastructure issues.

She stressed “the concerns here are shared in other municipalities - not quite the 104 bridges. That creates quite the ‘wow’ moment when they see how we are faced with so many big ticket items - on top of roads which are also big ticket items - plus water and waste water management.”

Ross-Zuj commented another issue which arose from those meetings was the fact that federal funds for affordable housing programs ends in 2014

“and we have no indicators that they will continue with the program.”

She said if it is downloaded to the provinces, chances are it will be downloaded to local municipalities.

“It’s a real slippery slope.”

She said it needs to be stressed “we need these grants to keep these housing opportunities open.”

Ross-Zuj said there are many issues, but the recent FCM meeting attempted to prioritize issues as to what needed to be addressed immediately.

The FCM board  is made up of elected municipal officials and affiliate members from all regions and communities across Canada. It meets quarterly to discuss municipal issues, set policy priorities, and serve as a support system for municipalities bringing messages to the federal government.

September 21, 2012